Co-production and engagement with service users

Carrying out healthcare improvement research without working with the people actively embedded in the system may not translate into practice. But who should be involved and how can they contribute to enhancing research in a meaningful way.

In this episode, host Graham Martin and guests Oli Williams, Michelle Peter and Nicola Boydell unpack terms such as co-production (and how they can be misunderstood), and explore how to put these concepts into action and the ways they can inform improvement research. They’ll discuss:

• How can we amplify the voices of underrepresented groups, so we find solutions for the disparities that exist in maternal and pregnancy outcomes?
• How can engaging the right people lead to improvement within sexual and reproductive health services?
• What are the three categories of co-production and how are they used in designing healthcare services research.

About our guests

Graham Martin is Director of Research at THIS Institute, where he leads applied research programmes and contributes to the Institute’s strategy and development. Graham’s research interest and experience is in undertaking studies and evaluation in relation to healthcare improvement, from major policy-driven programmes to locally led initiatives.

Oli Williams is a sociologist with a specific focus on weight-related health including ‘obesity’ and eating disorders, stigma, addressing health inequalities through equitable intervention, and participatory methods including co-production and co-design. He has national influence in these research areas.

Michelle Peter explores parental and healthcare professional views on the acceptability and accessibility of genomic tests offered through the NHS. She is committed to working on projects aimed at improving maternal health inequalities, advocating for inclusive research practices that incorporate the lived experiences of Black and ethnic minority communities.

Nicola Boydell is a Lecturer in Social Science and Public Health. She is a social scientist working at the intersections of medical sociology, critical public health and healthcare improvement studies, conducting qualitative research on the social and cultural dimensions of sexual and reproductive health.